Ostrich Egg Cam Live!

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Leo passed away early this morning. Aries was agitated, and paced back and forth. I put four young chickens (pullets) in there, that were 2.5 months, but they provided no comfort or distraction.

Kind rancher Joel generously offered to accept Aries, and have her in a pen with five other Ostrich chicks that were the same age. So I took her on the car ride to the ranch, and the first step was keeping the cardboard box outside the pen so that the ostriches could all look at each other. After a while we put Aries in the pen with the other five ostrich chicks. She did run back and forth a bit then calmed down. Joel promises me that tonight all six of them will be cuddling inside, and in the morning they will be having breakfast together.

He used Livestock Paint to mark her legs so that he would be able to tell her from the rest. She was too young for a leg band. This paint comes in different colors, and cattle ranchers use two colors alternating to mark the backs of their heifers, and if they see that the colors have all run together they know that they bred, and can move them to a separate pen.

I told him there were no strings attached, but he promises to keep me updated with pictures of Aries as she grows older, and to put her in a nice pen for breeding.

I felt good about leaving her there, she has good ostrich company and well taken care of. We can visit when we like. This is probably where my ostriches would have ended up in a couple of months anyway when they got bigger.

Kind rancher Joel also showed me his egg incubation set up, and the eggs he had obtained this week. He is not going to incubate any more eggs this season, they would be born after the middle of September and he felt it was too cold to raise chicks at that time. (He did offer me an ostrich chick to keep Aries company, but I thought she would be better with a group at the ranch.) He also offered me fertile eggs even though it would be late in the season, and I was tempted, but I said no I am done.

Kind rancher Joel then showed me his two-year-old ostriches that were very friendly. They start the breed at age 3, these were like pets they were so docile and used to people. He admitted that some ostriches could be aggressive, but if their bred right and treated nicely they are very tame. They do nip at your hand, and the sensation is a little beyond pleasant but still acceptable and not painful. The black ones with the orange on the beaks are males, the gray ones females.

You can see how gentle Joel is with is ostriches. Those eggs are fertile, but I passed on taking any.

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August 1, 2014, Day 20, Leo has surgery, is OK

This morning at 1:30 AM there was a red protrusion from Leo's rear, basically her bottom had fallen out. I took her to the vet in the morning, my regular bird veterinarian was at a conference, and her associate could not reduce the prolapse. I was referred to an exotic animal hospital.

They did not like the car rides, it took a while for them to understand if they sit they would be better off than trying to stand. They were calm though. I kept the box lid open so that they could see me.

Many things can cause this prolapse of the cloaca, such as impaction and dehydration. Leo had to be asleep during the procedure, and four sutures were placed to make sure that the cloaca did not prolapse again. You cannot make it too tight, she still needs to defecate. The sutures will be removed in four or five days. She was also given antibiotics, pain medication and fluids. Minimal blood loss. Overall a pretty rough day for Leo.

Normally they would keep the animal overnight, but with these birds the avian vet thought they would be less stressed in their own home. Aries stayed close by Leo before, during and after surgery. The vet remarked how the sister was a comfort and looked after Leo, and kept her calm.

If Leo does not drink adequate liquids initially I am going to give tube feedings of water over the next few days.

Leo seems to be on her way to recovery, still a bit groggy right now

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This is day three in their outdoor enclosure, where they will be for a couple of months. The pictures are of the outside of the shed right after it was assembled. The WebCam is taped to the back wall now, it's no longer on a tripod. The picture is of our puppy when she first saw the ostriches, she jumped back 6 feet and was just staring at them. She is a six-month-old Golden doodle (half golden retriever and half poodle).

Leo and Aries are both doing very well. They are still doing a lot of trilling. Kind rancher Joel feels this is normal and just a reaction to new surroundings. If something distracts them then they would stop trilling. It seems as though they are calling for me, because they stop trilling when I come up to them, and then they relax and resume their pecking and eating activities.

There is a 2 x 4 threshold at the doors of the shed to hold the 2 inches of dirt inside. This caused a small step off, plus the shed is slightly elevated and they are pretty good at climbing up and down the "staircase" that is made for them. Aries learned this quickly, it took a little longer for Leo. Leo was leery of it because he stumbled a few times, and was nervous.

It was extremely hot the day with them outside on July 24, 2012, in the 80s, and they had never been in the sun before. They overheated, and extended their wings to cool off, and retracted the feathers on their abdomen. They did not seem to know that they should move to shade when they get hot. When they started panting I put them inside, and misted them with water. It has been cooler since then so that is not an issue now.

At night the doors to the shed are closed and locked. You could barely get a pencil in the shed, I even had to partially disassemble it just to get an extension cord through. I consider it rodent proof. They are very secure and feel safe and comfortable inside the enclosure at night. Before the shed was built a base was made using 6 x 6 wood, then covered with three-quarter inch plywood . The floor of the shed itself is plastic and solid, and is actually part of the structure of the shed. Unless a predator has a Sawzall they should be okay.

There are two heat lamps hanging, and I do have thermometers inside so I can monitor the temperatures.

The gate and fence around them has 1 inch pvc coated mesh, and is about 3 feet tall. Over this is bird netting with 1 inch mesh, this will prevent hawks and crows from coming in.

Is natural for ostriches to eat dirt, and also they get small stones that way that aids in their digestion. Initially they were eating too much dirt, and the kind rancher Joel called me and reminded me that it was very important to spread alfalfa on the floor to give them something else to peck at and distract them from the dirt. The food they have is chick starter granules, that is the tan colored granules in the feeder. Also alfalfa type pellets (Ratite feed) that will be their adult food that scattered around, and the alfalfa.

The hope is that the trilling will slow down. I have turned the sound off when the family is around, so I the sound off for privacy when we are home all day. It was curious that there were noises heard last night because the microphone was taped to the back wall, which was like putting a microphone on a drum and it amplified sounds such as basketballs being dribbled in the street, or TV noises or even waterfall noises. Those noises were not sinister. (Was U Stream haunted? Was there moans and chain rattling too?)

I last weighed them on July 24, 2014, and they had gained weight. 1164 Aries, 1210 for Leo in grams.

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Day 12 update July 24, 2014

Their weights rallied over the past two days, Ares 1160 g, Leo 1140. That is almost 200 g in the last two days. That is a 20% increase in weight in two days. This is amazing.

I am preparing to move them to the outdoor enclosure today. I am going to move the camera first, while it is off air I prepared a slideshow of Aries with the candling photos from day zero today 30, and Aries as she hatched.

The enclosure is a plastic toolshed, that locks and is rodent and predator proof. During the day they can wander outside in the enclosed pen.

I will try different camera locations to see which one is optimal, and still affords us privacy. Wherever it goes it will be a compromise, but we will see how it goes
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Day 4 (Counting Sunday 7-13 as day 0) they really picked up today. Leo led the charge with eating and drinking. Hopefully tomorrow they start to gain.
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They are active, walking better, they do cuddle and follow each other around.
They act goofy and comical.

There is alfalfa (green) and chick starter crumbles (tan) for them to peck on.

There is a shallow water bowl so every time they walk they run into it. It has alfalfa sprinkled in it as well.

They should begin eating and drinking soon. Just pecks so far.

They are not showing signs of stress, unless they stay under the warming light too long Then they start to pant.

Day 43 Hatching
Aries cracked through at 2:00 AM
Leo broke the top at 9:00 AM
I moved them to a quieter brooder so they can hear each other peep and know that they are not alone
They should be out within 24 hours. So far this pair looks great.
I put on a mic for sound for now, but they are mostly sleeping and resting. It’s a LOT of work to make the first crack. The shell is 1/8 of an inch thick.
The brooder temperature is not as stable as the incubator, so I will have to monitor closely and make frequent adjustments. 94 degrees is good.
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Day 41 July 11, 2014

Leo on the left. Aries on the right.

The temperature in the incubator is about 95.5. I use an infrared thermometer, and the temperature of Leo and Aries is about 98°. The higher temperature is because of their metabolism. That is why I turned the incubator temperature down. They have not internally pipped yet, the air sac circle is still smooth.

Libra has not progressed for some time. Unfortunately the bottom fifth of the egg is still clear, and the temperature of the egg is the same as the incubator temperature. The egg was moved away from the other two.

Forecast for hatching
I hope that Leo and Aries will pip tomorrow night (Saturday), meaning break into the air cell to get their first breaths, and start pecking their way out Sunday, and hatch Sunday night. It is normally a 42-day incubation, which would make 9 PM Saturday night the exact time, but based on the weight loss it will probably be on Sunday.

Leo lost 150 grams, 10.6% loss of original weight
1420 day 0, 1270 day 41

Aries lost 180 grams, 11.3% loss of original weight
1590 day 0, 1410 day 41

Weight loss during incubation should be 12 to 15%. So we are on the low end of this, the chicks may have a little extra fluid. They should dry out quickly after they hatch.
Incubator humidity was about 26 %
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July 9, 2014 Day 39
it is the last few days, I have gradually turned the temperature down to 95°. I will stop the tilting tonight.

Libra is developing, I was told by the kind and knowledgeable rancher Joel that sometimes it happens that an egg would be several days late. He does not feel it is the fault of fertilization, he feels that perhaps certain enzymes are deficient for some reason in a particular egg, and it is slower to progress. The temperatures in the incubator do very from the front to the rear, about a half a degree. I do not think that would affect the individual eggs this profoundly. Christine O’s idea of putting Libra in a warmer part of the incubator is an interesting one, my strategy was to keep the temperature consistent, so I am leaving her alone.

Day 39 July 9, 2014
Today I am preparing the Hatcher, where I will move them when they start to breakthrough in about two days.

Day 38 (July 8, 2014)
I am slowly turning down the temperature in the incubator, the chicks are generating their own heat.

In 2 days they will not be turned anymore.
4 days to hatch.

Libra is still developing, but is behind the other two (front left)
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Location of Eggs:

Rear
(Empty) Aries
Libra Leo
Front

Candling Day 16.

Aries, Leo and Libra are doing great. They are on track for a July 13 Hatch.

The non-fertile ones are removed. They are going to an elementary school
tomorrow for a show and tell.
The elementary students will get a chance to pick up and hold an ostrich
egg that weighs over 3 pounds.

If the non-fertile ones were open, the insides would look like a giant
chicken egg with a big yellow yolk.
They would taste just like a chicken egg, and the size is the equivalent
of approximately 24 chicken eggs.
These probably are exactly the same as dinosaur eggs.
The shell is about 1/8 of an inch thick.
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May 31, 2014 10:48 PM
I started five ostrich eggs. It is a 42 day incubation, so on about July 13, 2014 they should hatch.

I have gone over last year’s season very carefully with the help of the kind and knowledgeable rancher. I hope to correct chick raising management so I do not make any major errors again.

The first improvement is that he gave me a real incubator. I will be more likely to have healthy chicks if their development is in a stable environment.

This incubator is supposed to hold 24 ostrich eggs. I modified it slightly because I felt correctly and optimally configured it would hold no more than eight ostrich eggs with good circulation and clearance.

This incubator has a mechanical tilt mechanism so I no longer have to do it by hand. I have it set to maximum number of tilts which is about eight times a day.

It has a way to control the humidity, a real thermostat, and a Plexiglas front door.

I put in two mechanical thermometers, three digital thermometers, and two humidity gauges. One of the thermometers /humidity gauges is hooked up so I can monitor it on my smart phone. There is no alarm temperature goes out of range though.

I named the five eggs, and took initial measurements. I like giving the eggs names instead of numbers, it is easier to keep track of them.
Below is the date they were laid, the code for the parent pair, size and weight.

The date they were laid does not matter for hatching time, it is the date they go into the incubator that they start to develop. These all are starting at the same time in the incubator. It is typical for ostrich ranchers to hold onto eggs at room temperature for a week or so and this should not affect normal development. They do this so they could start groups of eggs at the same time, and have chicks hatch just one day a week. If they put eggs in the incubator as they found them, they would be hatching eggs every day all week long day and night..

There is a little bit of dirt on the eggs, particularly on Leo, and although the eggs were wiped off it is not advisable to wash them or get them wet. It is safest is to leave it alone. This may not look as pretty, but the priority is hatching healthy chicks. Also the dirt gives her a little bit of personality, makes her look edgy.

As I measured and weighed each egg, and carefully wiped them as clean as I could, I was already getting a sense of their differences. Aires is by far the biggest egg. I put her in the back of the incubator since it slightly warmer back there.(I did testing on all the areas inside the incubator to get an idea of where the warmer and cooler spots were.) Libra was pretty big to so I put her in the middle on the left. The three others, Gemini Leo and Taurus are one on each row. Viewed from the top of the eggs in the rack would look like this

Gemini Aires
Libra Leo
(Empty) Taurus

I did take pictures of the eggs and their first candling before I put them in the incubator. I plan to candle them and weigh them on a regular basis. When you can tell where the air sac is, that end will go up. If they do not develop then we know that egg was not fertile.

Although the kind and knowledgeable rancher has had eggs since March, he did not feel that they had an optimal chance of success until now. The earliest eggs of the season, and the latest eggs of the season do not seem to hatch or do as well.

BELOW is from last season

December 3, 2013

A trip out to the Ostrich Hatcher

Despite Popcorn being gone, we drove out to the high desert. We wanted to meet The Hatcher, who is a very nice man. He has lived in the high desert his entire life on this ranch. He showed us the seven ostrich chicks that are five months old, they were in a pen with chickens, and two Emus. The Hatcher likes to put a brand-new baby chicken chick in with baby ostriches, and they do grow up together. He has a 20-year-old male ostrich as well. This was going to be Popcorn’s foster family.

We discussed ostrich egg hatching techniques, and his wife presented me with a gift of a piece of ostrich egg shell painted with four ostrich chicks. She is an ostrich shell artist. It was beautiful countryside, I look forward to returning someday. Of course I wish that Popcorn could be there..

I will celebrate our experiences and friendships. I do not anticipate further updates for a while.

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December 2, 2013 9:00 AM
Personal update
The cam is off, and social stream will stop in a few days. This should give everyone a chance to say goodbye.
Yesterday was quite a day. Popcorn had free access to the garden and the backyard. She elected to spend a lot of time on the porch. The children opened the patio door and let Popcorn in. t the 3 of them were watching SpongeBob, with Popcorn sitting on the living room rug, and pillows piles high to block her from wandering into the rest of the house. When my wife found this she escorted Popcorn out.
I underestimated the aggression of the raccoons, and of course I am very upset at myself for this.
I decided I am going to go ahead and drive out and meet the ostrich hatcher. I have the afternoon off anyway, and I could use the time alone in the car to relax and think. Also I am looking forward to seeing a group of young ostriches that are healthy and happy. I will take pictures and report back to you.
In addition to being therapeutic, this will be an educational opportunity, so I can consider what might happen next year. I do love hatching and raising ostriches, but I will have to step up my game to limit the amount of tragedy that is associated with this. I regret bringing nice people like you into this, and then having so many problems. If I do decide to try again, it will be better. Including a place where the older ostriches can go so you can come visit them. My next update will be with photographs of the ostrich hatchery.
Since July 6, 2013 I have been incubating and turning eggs, and hatching and raising ostrich chicks. In the process I have met some absolutely fantastic people.
The kind and knowledgeable rancher JB has been fantastic. He has a large and busy business, but has never hesitated to give me his advice, and be available on the phone. My main avian vet, TM, has been extraordinarily generous with her time, always answering my emails and phone calls, and on her own volition discussed cases with various other veterinarians. The avian surgeon up north in Oakley did give generously of his time reviewing the case and videos.
The mods have been very understanding and objective, and help make this a much better experience for everyone.

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December 2, 2013 1:00 AM
Popcorn injured by raccoon, had to be put to sleep immediately at vets.

At 11:40 a pair of raccoons were in the yard, and one reached underneath the corner of the cage and somehow got Popcorn on the right leg. She managed to pull away, but the injury was severe and she was taken to an emergency vet clinic nearby and immediately humanely euthanized.

I was called by the mods, whom I would like to thank as well as the cam watchers or else Popcorn may have been hurt for hours.

It must have been a blind grab for over 4 inches, I was warned to put mesh into the ground and floor but I did not.
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December 1, 2013 Sunday 9:45 PM

The kind and knowledgeable rancher found a home for Popcorn, about two hours from here. The adopting family are animal lovers. The new home is a ranch with many younger ostriches in a 75 foot pen with a central barn. He will always treat Popcorn special, she is a pet. He will be careful how he integrates her in with the rest of the ostriches.When she outgrows the pen she will be moved to a larger pen with some of her friends.

Popcorn will be leaving tomorrow (Monday) around noon for the next part of her adventure. I am happy for her, this is the best thing for her and she will develop normally.

So after noon Popcorn will say thank you and good-bye. There will not be anything to broadcast after that. I will post updates after I return tomorrow.

I have met some incredible people and I want to thank the people following this for their heartfelt support and kindness.
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December 1, 2013

Popcorn does wander in the yard. But she likes to settle down at the
porch window. So I put a mat , food and the heat lamp in her favorite
spot. I sit on the patio with her, drink coffee and read. She is welcome
to go into the garden, there is no longer any fence to contain her.

I am still looking for an ostrich friend, in the meantime we will try a
bunch of tricks.

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December 1, 2013
Socialization, it didn’t really work out with the chickens. I put two chickens in with her and one would tend to peck her on the head, so I removed Buffy. Within 18 hours, the other chicken Ginger would occasionally peck popcorn on the head, even with the entire back yard to roam in, and then Popcorn would run about two or 3 feet. There was no real comfort, she was indifferent to the chicken, minimal grooming at night in the box. Mostly the chicken just paced and ate all night.

I noticed as long as I was in the backyard working, Popcorn seemed fine and didn’t get distressed. When she could see me she would get distressed after 5 or 10 minutes. I believe that since she grew up in our kitchen she’s used to seeing me and I’m a poor substitute but at least something familiar to her as family. Yesterday I sat on the porch with some family members on the patio furniture, towards evening, and she was perfectly fine to come and sit on the grass at the edge of the porch a few feet away from us. However when she’s out of sight of us, like placed back in the enclosure for the night, she tends to run back and forth and get distressed.

Since I couldn’t trust my current chickens to not peck her on the head, I put in a soft stuffed teddy bear, made with real lamb’s wool. Curiously, she immediately began to groom it. I think she did better with that than with the chicken.

When we come home we find her sitting at the porch window, watching for us to come home. It’s warm and there is food in the enclosure, but she would rather sit there and hope to get some company. Last night when I put her in the enclosure I pulled up a lawn chair and sat with her, so she went to her sleeping spot and finally dozed off.

She seems somewhat soothed and calm with human companionship. I don’t want to make any assumptions here, and I really cannot get a sleeping bag and sleep inside the ostrich pen at night to keep her company. When I am in the house my wife would shout “Popcorn is trilling” and I would run outside so Popcorn could see me and she would stop.

I moved the 4’ x 8’ enclosure that has the large cardboard box with heat lamps off the patio and onto the other side of the yard. The floor is grass, and I made the bedding area about 4 inches thick with alfalfa to keep her up off the ground and a bit warmer. The problem is that from the angle that the enclosure now rests she cannot see me when I’m sitting on the couch in the living room.

She really needs the company of another ostrich.

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November 28, 2013
First night for dorm roommates

Ginger is in with Popcorn. (Buffy would occasionally peck Popcorn, so I put her back in the coop.). I have not seen them both asleep, I can’t believe they are bot still up. Interesting that Ginger chose to be warm and stay by the heat lamp below rather than go roost higher up.

This is a temporary solution to keep Popcorn busy, eventually Popcorn should socialize with other ostriches. I do not know how long it will work with Ginger as a companion. I will try to keep Popcorn as long as it’s in her best interest.

I would like to thank everyone for your kind expressions of condolences for Rascal.

This leg deformity is fairly common in ostriches. She knows we did our best to help her.
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November 27, 2013
Day at vet

Rascal and Popcorn spent the day at the vet, I dropped them off at 8 AM and came at 430 PM. It was unfortunate, but there was nothing more that could be done for Rascal. Her leg had progressed, and attempts to try to splint would not align it properly. Also there are some early signs of joint damage. The prospects after any surgery were very dim, there was no splint that would correct her properly. The decision was made that it would be humane to stop here. We all said good-bye to Rascal.

Popcorn is in with Buffy and Ginger, the two friendliest chickens, to keep Popcorn company. They are 7 months old, Buff Orpingtons. I made a bed of alfalfa for everyone.

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November 26, 2013
This sling was made from a recyclable nylon bag, it is more comfortable for Rascal, there are springs on the tether so she can sit down. The runner goes the full length of the pen. There is another runner outside, where she could go 40 feet if she wanted. She moved pretty good, but her bad leg does not get better and would need a splint. We are trying to see if one is feasible (will she tolerate it). Meanwhile she enjoys the extra support. Her wings are outside and partially cover the sling. It looks like a stork just brought her in. She is a good bird.

The warm box was enlarged, with an opening in the roof so the leash can slide through it.

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November 24, 2013 Rascal in a sling

I do not get the sensation of stress with the sling. I get the sensation that she is using it to help her walk. When she stands she gets no support, only if she stumbles or leans does it start to hold her up.

I put a pulley but since it is rope (not coated cable) it does not slide smoothly, need to update hardware tomorrow. But she seems to really enjoy it.

My hope is to give her several sessions a day with increasing time, and see if she eats more and thrives with the exercise and being able to follow Popcorn. If this succeeds, I hope to be offered a splint from a vet who may reconsider trying something radical. (To me if surgery was an option with a huge likelihood of catastrophic failure, trying a few things and a splint shouldn't be out of line. )

She does not want to sit down after she gets out of this, she seems excited (happy?)

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November 24 update day 43

Rascal followed Popcorn into the yard on her own power after snuggling all night in the warm box. She is still very wobbly when she walks and stands, but wants to follow Popcorn and eat.

No vet will offer Rascal a brace as it is felt this is progressive and incurable. The assumption is she will not tolerate any splint or brace or restriction, then won't eat, and will get upset and struggle. They are experienced and I am sure they are right. I will do the humane thing when I feel the time is right.

Nevertheless I may try a sling for a few minutes to see if she will tolerate that to help support her when she is in the yard. I will see if she gets used to it, but won't push it. If she does tolerate it I will put up a runner so she can move about the yard. She does not mind being held and petted. She loves to eat like a kids enjoys ice cream. Popcorn won't leave her.

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November 23, 2013 Day 42

Rascal is still eating and can walk a bit and seems OK. Her walking is not improving, she is slowing down.
Popcorn is racing around the backyard, then comes back to sit next to Rascal. They groom each other.

As a special treat I have been giving them some organic chicken scratch, which they love. They are basically standing on piles of food.

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November 21, 2013
Day 40

Rascal is not in pain or suffering, but she is finding it increasingly difficult to walk, as was predicted by the experts. She and Popcorn love each other and greatly enjoy each other’s company. I will keep them together as long as possible.

However when Rascal is unable to get up and walk she will be very stressed. I turned off the camera to afford them private time together. I had hoped to be with them for 40 years. When it is time, Popcorn will be taken to a hatcher who has other ostriches that are young. We need her to be as big as possible so she can fit in comfortably.

I know many of you have been following since they were eggs, and you love them as much as I do. You are all very compassionate people, I so respect you for that. How animals can touch our hearts is a powerful thing. It’s Love.

I will keep you posted, the only thing that is going on is the cam is off. They are still together in the warm house, they have plenty of food, and I will let them out tomorrow and will hold Rascal up if I have to.

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-November 20, 2013 Day 39

They spent more time in the yard today, over an hour total. I experimented with different braces that will just help support rascal a little better, kind of like a cane. I will probably remove the brace at night so she can rest comfortably when she sleeps as the braces a little bulky and she cannot fold her legs properly underneath her.

Popcorn 3400, Rascal 2640 this evening. .Popcorn’s weight is soaring, Rascal is lagging behind and has not really gained weight in the last week.

The new enclosure is most of the grass area of the yard, which will be converted to some sort of aviary for the ostriches. I was advised it’s not good for them to eat a lot of grass, they seem to enjoy pecking at it and when I leave them out for long time I’ll make sure there are other things to eat. They really enjoy the chicken layer crumble, more that the ratite pellets. They pick at the alfalfa to keep busy.

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November 17, 2013 Day 36
They are growing and stable

I am running out of adult ratite food (the green pellets ), so I am mixing more greens in and will use some chicken food to keep them going until the special order comes in on Thursday. (They thought it would come sooner, but it will be OK). They love the greens and I enjoy watching Rascal be enthusiastic about food,

The enclosure is a bit small for P{opcorn, but OK for Rascal. I put another layer of dirt in there. The watering dish is 2.5 gallons and it is working out. They like the heat lamps so they will stay on.

The main issue now is if Rascal can adapt and get by with the leg deformity. At this point with surgical and bracing remedies determined to not be feasible she has to make it on her own./ There is no signs of joint inflammation, and no discomfort although she seems to have a degree of frustration as she wants to keep up with Popcorn.

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November 14, 2013 Day 33
Popcorn 2860 grams, Rascal 2600 grams
I let them out for limited times in the yard each day, they put so many things in their mouths I am afraid they are going to eat something like a piece of plastic wrapper or a big stone, and I do not know if they would get sick from eating the leaves of the garden vegetables. They seem to be holding up pretty well with the excursions into the yard. Onions, garlic and broccholi leaves are OK it seems.
It is a bit of a challenge to reel Popcorn in when she is in the great outdoors, but poor Rascal is pretty easy to catch. I put in the larger watering dish today, 2 ½ gallons.
They are on regular maintenance food pellets now, no more chick starter food. I used to use a small cup to refill their plate, now I have use a coffee can, they are really going through the food. They just love the fresh green so I am probably giving them too much, lettuce, spinach, and kale. I am chopping it since they seem to have problems with the stems. As ‘Talonstrike’ said, we are getting to know the “business end” of ostrich chicks pretty well.

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November 12, 2013
Day 31
Everything is stable.

Water:
Their beaks get full of dirt from pecking on the ground, so when they go in the water – it gets muddy. They are completely indifferent to the second identical water dish that’s 2 feet away. I expect the new watering dish tomorrow.

Rascal’s leg:
Rascal is progressing. She does not fall down much and is getting a little bit more confident in my opinion. When she stumbles, she does run back to the box for safety and comfort. When she is outside, she wanders about at will and is fearless. I kept a closer eye on her. She did fall one time, but went to her stomach, rested a second, then stood up and walked again. I don’t really have a way to limit overuse of Rascal’s leg, I would have to confine her, and she seems to rest when she gets tired anyway. It’s all self-rehabilitation for her. So far it has not been difficult to catch Popcorn. I have not trained them to come when they are called or anything like that.

Outside in the yard behavior:
Rascal seems to enjoy the onions and garlic leaves. Popcorn went to the broccoli leaves. When Rascal gets out of sight of me and Popcorn, she does begin trilling. I just walk in her view and she stops and is fine.

When they walk along they test every leaf, stone and whatever in their beak. They are indifferent to the chickens.

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November 10, 2013
Day 29

Exercise
Therapeutic exercise was letting them wander in the yard for about 10 minutes. Rascal maneuvered well, even going up and down uneven terrain. So far so good.

Nutrition
I sprinkled oyster shell in the food and in the dirt.
I put grit in the food
I am still adding some chick vitamins to the water.
Nearly done with the chick medicated feed, will be completely on ratite 18 % soon.
I put extra alfalfa in a cut milk carton
I am giving them spinach until I can find Kale.

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November 8, 2013
No surgery possible, plan is self-rehab and physical therapy.
A number of specialists have gone over Rascal’s case. The local veterinary surgeon specialist examined Rascal today and said that they cannot do anything.
The Avian expert from Oakley has raised ostriches himself. He reviewed the e-mailed x-rays and discussed the case with my avian veterinarian by phone. He has performed dozens of orthopedic procedures on angular limb deformities in birds. However for a number of reasons there is almost no success rate. This would involve osteotomy, external fixation, and these frequently break down especially with such thin small bones that are still growing, with disastrous results. It is not a simple matter of moving a tendon over and tightening it to rotate the leg in the correct orientation. He does not give a very good prognosis for Rascal.
The GOOD news is that Rascal is eating very well and appears healthy otherwise. My veterinarian, who has not given up, has tried a number of substrates and found that if she had footing that had bumps in it, she was able to get her foot against it and could stand up. Rascal was found standing this morning. This is with a memory foam type mattress that sort of looks like an egg crate. My plan is to obtain this type of mattress, and put it in the box that is her house where she would sleep and allow her some help to get up. Otherwise she can walk in the dirt, as she needs to learn how to walk on that surface. She needs a LOT more exercise and walking.
On Tuesday I will discuss with the Oakley avian specialist what a rehab program would entail to help Rascal learn to walk in the most optimal position.
In summary, the plan is:
I will bring the ostriches home tonight,
I will do some final raccoon proofing measures, including a trap.
I will wait for her to gain some strength and weight with free feeding
Physical therapy and gait training next week (when I learn how to do it.)
The kind and knowledgeable Rancher did give me some very good advice for Popcorn, which I do not need at this time since Rascal is coming home.
It was a little strange last night without the ostriches. My kids asked over and over again when they were coming back, I think they were suspicious.

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November 7, 2013 Day 26
Rascal’s splinting was not successful. In fact things could not be much worse.
When the splint was removed, her right leg went to the exact same position as it was before, and she had the same difficulty. In addition to no improvement, she lost over 100 g, while Popcorn had gained 500 g. So in addition to no improvement with the splinting, her distress and discomfort caused her to lose weight.
The vet tried some smaller splints just to hold the leg in, so it would not drag behind her and she could not tuck it underneath her. No matter what size splint was applied, she would not eat, and was distressed. She did not want to be bound at all.
So far all treatment has been unsuccessful. The initial watching for a few days after hatching to see if she would improve on her own failed. The short brace that she used for one week failed. This more aggressive splinting of both legs with an attempt to bring the leg in failed, and caused her stress and weight loss. An additional splint attempted today failed.
X-rays were taken, and these were e-mailed to an avian surgical specialist, in Oakley. This is to see if there would be a surgery, such as bringing over a tendon or ligament and screwing it to a different location, would be helpful. My status is that I am awaiting word from him to see if there is a surgical option.
If it is an option, we would consider it. If it is not an option the choices are to allow her to try to adjust and walk with a failing leg. (The kind and knowledgeable rancher said that this could happen.) I would get the opinion from the doctor in Oakley if this was a possibility, or futile.
A personal comment: To people who are wondering why I would do this to Rascal, please understand I am trying to help this bird. Of course my stomach was in a knot when I watched her struggling, and I feel terrible that my attempts to help her have not been successful so far. Dissenting opinions about all this, (presented in a civil manner), are understandable.

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November 6, 2013
Day 25, day 4 of splint
Rascal is comfortable in the new box

I thought she was distressed from being immobilize, but I think partially she may have been uncomfortable. The original support using towels around her legs was not very good, and the puppy harness did not work out well.

I made a hammock -like sling for her to rest her entire body on, with a hole so her legs would go through. This was with soft foam, and covered with a towel to make it more breathable. The back part is covered with a disposable pad. I also put a side opening so that I can observe her legs and check them for pressure and swelling on the side.

Rascal immediately relaxed and seemed to enjoy it. Also Popcorn was able to come up and get close to her, and start grooming her. I did put a box next to Rascal with a towel on it if Popcorn wanted to snuggle, but Popcorn got too nervous on the platform so that didn’t work out.

I gave Rascal three tube feedings yesterday, and one tube feeding this morning, but I think she’s going to start eating now. I am feeling better about this now, since she’s not in distress and has a place to rest her head. I attached some pictures of the box being constructed.

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November 4, 2013
Day 23
New harness for Rascal

It was a difficult first day for Rascal. She struggled and fought and tried to escape from the restrictive brace. This was not helping her. The feeding bowls were wide open on top and her head would sometimes drift into the open bowl of water. I took a piece of cardboard and cut holes in it big enough for her to put her beak, so she can eat and drink, and now she can also rest her head in front of her without going into the bowl.

She was propped up on rolled up towels, but that is a little bit too warm, and very restrictive. However when she was struggling really hard it was necessary to keep her from loosening something or hurting herself.

The fact that she is tolerating this is a nice step in the right direction. This morning she had eaten and drank so little that I gave her a tube feeding, with 23 mL of rescue formula. She seemed to perk up a bit after that.

A real concern was perhaps an ostrich could not be restrained and would be too stressed to be able to be helped in this manner. It is a relief that she has calmed down, enough to start eating and drinking and resting properly. Now that she is relatively calm and not trying to escape, I modified a puppy harness that has a plastic chest plate, that way she has good air circulation around her, and won’t feel so restricted. (I consider it a good sign, that for the first time ever, Rascal pecked at me with her beak when I was putting on the puppy harness. Of course it didn’t hurt or anything, but I got the message. She didn’t like any of this.)

The question was how much weight goes on her legs, and how much rests on the breastplate? The answer is: Who knows? So I went to about 50-50, where it seemed about right and comfortable for her. I put some padding on the side of the box.

She still has other issues. There’s some problem with her right hip, her hips don’t sit square and parallel to her spine. But that will just have to be worked out later, for now this is the best that we can come up with. Her right knee, (which is above the brace, you are thinking of the ankle) has an issue. Also we do not know how long she needs to remain in this splint. The current plan is to go one week and see how it is. Replace it and see if it looks like she is going straight. Maybe by that time will find some data from some other larger birds. At this time there is simply no data available.

Popcorn has been an amazing source of comfort for Rascal. I’m sure seeing her walking around and pecking, was great.

In case this information will be helpful for someone else with another species, the variables are

How much weight to put on the legs versus the harness on the body
It’s about 50/50 now
How long to keep the splint on
Will probably change in one week and assess it then
What the rehab is going to be like after confinement, can she regain her joint flexibility and strength
We will start the rehab and therapy and monitor the results
If an ostrich can relax enough to eat and drink and stay healthy while confined
It took a lot longer than parrots, at least 12 hours before she was calm enough to eat or drink, at 24 hours she was pretty calm.

Thanks to everyone who has tried to give me advice, I appreciated all, and I know it was all well-meaning. Realistically, the only worthwhile advice would be if somebody says they have had this situation before, and this is what they did and what happened. (Unfortunately I never got this.) The vet we have, who has been monitoring this, is great and selfless, and has a good knowledge of birds and a sense of what seems right. Also she has the courage to try something with no guarantee of success. I admire her.

An ethical issue for me is whether it was fair to Rascal to have her go through all of this discomfort, which may be futile, in the hopes of saving her life. I hope I’m not being selfish by forcing her to go through this treatment program. What influenced my decision was concern for Popcorn, who would be lost without her sister. I also remembered a personal experience of someone who ensured a painful back surgery that required rehab, and when it was finally over they said it was worth it and they wish they did it sooner. They put the rough patch behind them. When I watched Rascal struggling to break free, I felt awful. I hope the decision to do this to her proves worthwhile.

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November 3, 2013
Day 22

Rascal’s right leg became worse. Her leg was deviating out more and more, and finally it was dragging behind her, with the joint going the wrong direction. Also the limp was worse.

The avian specialist did meet me at the hospital on Sunday afternoon. We discussed the options. Her experience with this sort of leg deformity was with parrots, and there isn’t any experience available on trying this procedure on an ostrich. This is new territory. She felt one option was euthanasia. I considered that, since more extensive splinting would be very difficult to tolerate for this ostrich. But I had to think about her sister Popcorn, who is so attached to her. We went ahead and did the more extensive splinting that would immobilize the bird.

Rascal cannot walk or move about. She is in a box, with her legs splinted/ casted. With parrots, they usually stay at the veterinarian’s office so that they can monitor them and tube feed them if necessary. But there’s no one at the veterinarian’s office at night.

I brought Rascal home and will keep an eye on her. She will need to be in the splint for maybe one or two weeks. Since this has not been done before we don’t know.

So far it’s not going very well. She’s very uncomfortable and struggles. After she’s exhausted from struggling she just rests. She is not taking food or water. Her sister Popcorn is upset, although they are in clear view of each other, they can’t really contact each other by touch.

I am keeping them indoors. I am not putting the cam on them right now, they are convalescing. Hopefully they will be better in the morning.

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November 1, 2013
Day 20

Popcorn 1280 g,
Rascal 1662 g

I brought them in last night, I removed the brace because there was some foot swelling on Rascal, and for some reason in the evening she was breathing rapidly about 50 breaths per minute. It was a noisy Halloween night, in our area there are block parties, crowds of kids, and people sit in the front yards to greet the trick-or-treaters. The parents carry a cup (and some beverages are often offered to them as well.) There are dogs that bark, and open doors with parties inside with refreshments offered. Occasional firecrackers in the distance. These are unusual sounds, and may have led to her distress last night.

Also I have not finished raccoon- proofing the enclosure. Even though I’ve had chickens for a couple of years, with less security than this, because of the overall concern I’m going to beef up predator security.

Inside the house where it is very quiet, they calm down, I took pictures to show them resting. They’re sleeping so soundly Rascal was dreaming, I think I detected REM. her “lips” are moving and she was bobbing her head up and down. (SOD means something to her!)

I like the idea of Rascal sleeping with her leg folded underneath her during the night. I think my strategy for now (that I will confirm with the vet) is for her to wear the brace during the daytime, it seems that she walks better with it on, and then remove it at night so she can sleep with her leg in the correct folded position. I’m not sure what caused the foot swelling, the brace itself seems to be the correct smugness. The swelling was mild, but I am being cautious.

I have to go out of town, so I am going to move them indoors today at about noon, and they will remain there through Sunday Morning. They will spend Saturday indoors, and with no brace since I won’t be there to monitor the swelling. I will up the cam indoors. I made another indoor box.

The raccoon trap was set last night, but it was empty today. It’s off to the right of the cage. Since I won’t be around I will close it.

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Day 19 Oct 31, 2013

Video of raccoon reaching into ostrich cage. Reaching WAY in Around 4:30 AM Close call.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ7qvFaCx5o&feature=youtu.be

I am obtaining a trap shortly. Will take the raccoons to the park, which is 3 houses away, but hopefully they learn to stay away after the experience. The raccoons like to go into the neighbor's doggy door and eat dog food.

They broke into the Ostrich feed bag outside the cage. I will need to move that indoors.

Thanks goodness Rascal is nimble in her brace. She is doing fine with the brace, after I loosened the brace last night and applied cast padding the small amount of swelling went down.

And thank you for alerting me to this, I must have fallen asleep.

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Day 18, October 30, 2013
Rascal gets a brace

The trip to the vet's office went well, my Mom sat in the back seat and made sure they were comfortable. Once they gave up standing with the car moving, and sat down, they were very calm.

At the vets we watched them walk, and then the vet took x-rays of her legs. (They were supposed to email me x-rays, the anterior view is much more dramatic to show the bent bone, I took a photograph of the screen of the lateral view that is here.. As soon as I get the x-rays I will post them for you.)

The vet determined that using half-inch pipe insulation foam would be the best material for a brace. Velcro to secure it. I left the ostriches at the vet's office, and during the day they tried several different types of braces. The main issue was whether Rascal would tolerate it. At first they made a brace that also tied in with the left foot. This is so she would tuck it underneath her when she sat. But she just flopped forward, and could not move, as if she was hogtied. Popcorn tried to peck the brace off to help her.

They did a lot of other braces, but she was unable to stand or walk with them.

So this brace that she has on now is a compromise. It will be used to help her get used to having something on her leg. I will take her back in a few days and we may try something different. If we can think of anything better. She is able to stand and walk with this brace. Gradual improvement is what we are looking for. She seems comfortable and she eats while wearing this brace. Remember the expression "The enemy of Good is Better."

They did eat very well at the vet's office. Not only did they finish the food that I brought in, but they nearly finished the 1 pound bag of organic feed. They also got to meet a variety of animals, feral cats and inquisitive dogs, and there was a large tortoise that was boarding in the cage next to them.

I need to check her foot for swelling. I also need to remove it and clean it periodically, especially if it gets wet or soiled.

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Day 18 October 30 2103 Brief note
Rascal and Popcorn are still at the vets. My mom sat with them in the back of the car, and they were calm and sat down after a few minutes. After discussing the leg situation with the vet, I went shopping for different materials to make the splints, and then left them at their office. The ostrich chicks are happy and in a large cage eating and drinking voraciously. The vet will try different splints to see which one works best. I will pick them up tonight. Will post pictures and x-rays tonight on facebook later tonight.

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The temperature tonight is projected to be 49 degrees. After dusk the chicks went to the front of the cage and sound distressed. I do not know if it's because of the dark, or if they are not sure about sleeping in the outdoor enclosure (they have not spent the night there yet) or they noticed I went inside. Or the night sounds may have changed. They don't seem to mind being indoors when its night and no one is around. Outside at night they get nervous.

Indoors they are fine in the smaller night box. They eat and drink like crazy. (They have no other hobbies besides pecking and eating. Their job resume would be very limited. )

They love chopped lettuce, Rascal is about 15 inches tall, and they cozy together so they don't need a big box at night.

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Day 17
October 29, 2013

Popcorn 1070 grams
Rascal 1410 grams

They were quite cozy indoors last night, plenty of food and water. They were restless by 5 AM, put them back in the enclosure around 9 AM

There is a yardstick in the box to follow their heights, hard to see the numbers.

It’s in 6tthe low 50’s at night, next few days it’s in the 60s during the day. I put the water in the heated area, and the food easier to get to so they won’t be so exposed to cold if they go out.. Its about 84 degrees in the box, the heated mat is set to 90 degrees.

Tomorrow morning is the vet appointment for Rascal’s leg. (If they get used to it and like it I will take them out more often, maybe to parks and museums

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Monday Night update
I took them in around 6:30 PM. It was getting cooler, and they stopped looking comfortable and came to the edge of the enclosure and started making sounds. I had checked the temperatures and they were in the 70s in the box, they should be warmer. Their backs were in the 80' usually they are in the 90's. Its about 10 degrees too cold outside for the set up I have now.

So now they're in a nice warm box with a no skid mat inside.

A heat lamp, food and water, and thou.

Familiar noises, and I can look in on them more often.

They will be back in the morning.

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Day 16 October 28, 2013

New enclosure yesterday: They spent yesterday in the outside enclosure, and did very well. They are adjusting to the dirt, and the new location of the food and water. They ate so many small stones I was worried, but they seem to be fine. They seem to like the dirt.
Kept them warm and cozy last night: Last night they looked fine in the heated box home, but with an abundance of caution I moved them indoors for the night. I am glad I did, it was 20 degrees warmer in the house, and they could roam around the old box whenever they wanted to get food and water and exercise. Outdoor they would have gotten chilled wandering around for food. Also they could rest easily as they may be a little anxious sleeping in a new house for the first night. The outdoor noises are different than the indoor noises. Tonight I may leave them out for a few more night hours, maybe 9:30 PM or so, and then take them in again.
I was hoping to get a few months out of this enclosure, the rancher thinks I will get a few weeks.
It’s cold now for small chicks: Right now in Southern California near the coast the night the temperature is in the 50s, during the day it is in the 60s. It was a little cold and windy today, so I put up the tarp to protect them a bit during the day. I have 4 temperature sensors in the heated house, and it has the two heat lamps and the heated pad under the no slip mat.
This would be very late in the season for wild ostrich; they definitely have a season and do not have chicks in the fall or wintertime. They want the chicks to grow out in the spring and summer. So there is a lot of attention and concern now about the temperature. The kind and knowledgeable rancher does not raise chicks this time of year.
The rancher also recommends covering up the window, he says that the chicks are comforted being in a dark secluded spot. Even though it is not that dark with the red light, having it blocked off will make them feel more secure (he thinks.).
Rascal’s leg: I have a veterinarian appointment on Wednesday at 8 AM; the avian vet will try to devise some sort a splint with a hinge for Rascal’s right leg. I will be taking Popcorn along for comfort, these chicks are very close and it will be additional stress on them if I separate them.
A lot of questions, so here is something from Wikipedia:
Rascal’s problem is mostly in the tarsometatrsus.
The tarsometatarsus is a bone that is only found in the lower leg of birds and certain non-avian dinosaurs.
It is formed from the fusion of several bones found in other types of animals, and homologous to the mammalian tarsal (ankle) and metatarsal (foot) bones. Despite this, the tarsometatarsus of birds is often referred to as just the tarsus or metatarsus.

I hope she tolerates whatever brace is devised.

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Day 15 October 27, 2013
Moved to the outside enclosure

I’m not sure if they can tolerate this at night, we will monitor their temperatures and see.
They ate a bunch of stones but they seem okay.
They have not found the water or the food yet

Update on Rascals right leg: Right now I do not have a good solution. And it appears to be worsening.

The avian veterinarian considered the modified Robert Jones bandage, to be changed every few days. When she considered it though, she thought that correction at this point would be too stressful for the bird, immobilization will weaken the leg further. She was thinking some sort of physical therapy may help. I may try to suspend her in a harness so she doesn’t put her full weight on the leg and let her walk. (I have not heard back from the Dynasplint people to see if they would fashion something for her.). The avian vet cannot come out until Wednesday.

The box on the left has a heated mat and the heat lamp, and a Plexiglas window.
The box on the right has the food bowls and alfalfa.
I put a box under the water dispenser to keep mud/ splash down.

Anyway I hope to come up with a viable plan soon for Rascal’s leg, as she grows it will be harder to correct.

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Day 14
October 26, 2013
Rascal 1380 g
Popcorn 1020 g
Good news! They are gaining weight, and they made it to two weeks.

Feed: Yesterday the kind and knowledgeable rancher left me some alfalfa, and Ratite Breeder Feed pellets. I’m shaking the leaves off the alfalfa so they don’t get the stems.
I did not know they made a feed specifically for emus and ostriches (Ratites), but they do. I’m going to continue to use the chick feed now, and gradually introduce the Ratite feed.

Rascal’s right leg: On close observation it does not appear to be spraddle foot. Her hip is fine, and in fact her knees are close together. She has a twisting of the lower leg. Bringing the ankles together won’t help. I need to make a specific brace for her right leg that will twist and bend the lower leg and gradually straighten it out. This is relatively uncharted territory, so I’m working with a couple of knowledgeable people to see what we come up with. There is a splint used for finger rehabilitation called Dynasplint, we may use some variation of that.

Outside enclosure: it’s ready now, tomorrow when it gets warm I’m going to put them out for several hours. I put them in there today for about 10 minutes, and they just kept pecking the dirt and I have no idea how much dirt and stones they ate. I spent hours going to the dirt with my hands to take out as many stones as I could, but they’re pretty good at finding them. The idea that the kind and knowledgeable rancher has is that they’re going to end up on dirt, and the sooner they get used to it, the less likely they will be to be overly curious and packet later on. The differences will be

It’s a mesh cage that will have full visibility of the outdoors. (It’s actually a dog kennel)
It has 2 inches of garden dirt as the substrate.
The box that is there house has a Plexiglas window, and I put in a heated mat on the floor. They will also have a heating lamp inside. They should be warm enough.

I arranged it such that a web cam will work, and I will be able to see Rascal and Popcorn most of the time, including when they’re in their warm house. When they need more room I have some rolls of mesh wire fencing that I will used to temporarily all off certain sections of the yard (while I am supervising them).

=Day 13
October 25, 2013
Rascal's right leg was born slightly deformed (twisted) and with a mild case of Spraddle Leg. There is some tape between her legs binding them together to keep her from having the right leg go out too far. Right now it is loose and she can walk and run. As she gets used to it I will shorten the tape to bring her legs closer. (The first time I braced her legs together had it too close, and she would trip and could not walk.) I do not believe this is a painful condition. Other than a possible imp she should develop fine.
Changes in box: the nonskid matting (used to put under rugs) is in place. There are some absorbent sheets underneath that. That will help them from slipping when they walk.
The 2 heat lamps were raised about 4 inches. The ostriches did not used to be able to reach the lamps before, but now they can.
Window: The box walls are 18 inches high, so they always could look out the top, They watch us all the time. With the window they can see us further away with the cut out on the side of the box.
Outside enclosure: I thought by now they would be spending more time outside. It is supposed to be warmer this weekend, but I do not want them to get cold or eat something off the ground that they should not have. I am working on a little warm house for them, like a heated doghouse. Advice from the friendly kind and knowledgeable rancher is to use plain garden dirt in the outside enclosure.

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Day 12

October 24, 2013

Rascal 1120 g, Popcorn 910 g. Good quick growth

The constipation issue seems to have resolved with great aplomb.

The painters' cloth is still too slippery. Also it does not absorb very well. I will replace with some other nonskid material tomorrow. In the meantime I put a bath towel there for friction so they can get up on their legs easier from a sitting position.

Rascal has a slight spraddle leg on the right. This has been improving since birth, we'll see how it goes.

I took them outside for a few minutes today, this time let them walk on the grass. The outdoor enclosure I have is nearly ready for them.

The outside enclosure is going use clean, new, still in bags, playground sand that I got from the "giant hardware store." The sand is clean, run through a screen and filtered. I like the idea of using this as water will go right through it. It will make clean up after the ostriches much easier. The kind and knowledgeable ranchers suggests using dirt.
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Day 11
October 23, 2013

Legs slipping from under them: A no friction mat was placed under the heat lamp so they would not slip and struggle to get up. (the bottom side of the beloved Sunflower mat)

Digestive system: They did gain weight this morning. This afternoon they lost weight.They only seem to drink from one watering bowl, which gets emptied rapidly, and they ignore the other 3 water containers.

Constipation issue: Almost no poop today, they may be constipated. They are walking gingerly, not looking like they want to burst out of the box with vigor.

Alfalfa: The kind and knowledgeable rancher suggested alfalfa buds from a bale, but all I could get at the local pet store this evening was Timothy rabbit pellets. They seemed to like that just fine.

Afternoon constitutional. He suggested letting them go walk outside in the sun. It is 65 degrees, and they got cold in 5 minutes, so when they started shivering I brought them back in. But they were curious, unafraid, pecked at everything.

Hopefully the stimulation of the outside walk and the pseudo alfalfa pellets will get things moving.

Cool weather: This is very late to raise ostrich chicks. They need to be outside. Will try something soon so they can be warm and outside for a while.

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Day 10
October 22, 2013

They are both growing!
Rascal is booming at 1030 grams
Popcorn is 816 grams

Food granules scattered: I scatter the food granules all over the floor and that keeps them busy pecking, and soothes them. When the grain only at the food dish they pecked at spots on the paper, and pecked each other more. Also they get more food this way for the energy they use learning to peck. Unfortunately they also act like ball bearings and they do slip on that. I plant to use something less slippery like a painter’s drop cloth soon.

Urination: The reason you can see the ostriches urinate is that unlike most birds, the ostrich does separate urine and stool, and have a pseudo urinary bladder. I was surprised when I saw that too.

Grit: I sterilized some grit (small stones) by heating in the oven. I want to take them to the outside enclosure, but it’s a bit cold for their age. They will have to stay off the grass and dirt because they will peck at everything and may eat who knows what.

Tube feeding: I do not know if earlier intervention with tube feedings would have saved Skippy. It can be helpful for many birds, but according to the kind and knowledgeable ranche